Hair curling device



March 5, 1940. B, F, MEEK 2,192,795

HAIR CURLING DEVICE Filed April 8. 1939 J5 1i l i. z 3 li APatented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1mm' comme DEVICE Beulah F. Meek, Chicago, lll. Application April s. 1939, serial No. 266.853 11 claims. (o1. 132-33) My invention relates to hair curling devices, and more particularly to the mechanical formation oi hair ringlets, and my main object is to provide a handy device whereby the ringlets may d be formed very quickly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is worn on one of the ngers and need not be put down or picked up while in use, saving time and effort in it that connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which includes a guide for the hair and means to twine the hair around the iinger in order to produce the ringlet.

it An additional object of the invention is to construct the novel device along lines of simplicity and emciency.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggest themselves kfrom the descripg@ tion to follow, a. better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a front elevation of the hair curling device; v

gg Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing how the novel device is carried on the finger of the left hand;

3p Fig. 5 is a perspective View, showing the manner in which a curl is started; and

Fig. 6 is a side view showing the ringlet completed.

lit has been the style of late to trim feminine 3g coidures with a series of frontal ringlets. These are formed by winding a lock of hair around the nger while the hair is in a plastic state, then packing the coil down to form the ringlet, and finally passing a pin through the same to hold m it in the set form until the hair dries. Obviously, this process is more or less tedious, and if many ringlets are to be formed requires a considerable period of time. It has therefore been my intention to depart from the wholly manual process gy mentioned by Yinterposing a mechanical appliance by means of which the process is not only speeded up considerably, but the work is made much easier for the operator.

In accordance with the foregoing, speciiic ref- 50 erence to the drawing indicates the form or base for the novel appliance as a thimble I of fairly rugged construction, the material being metal or other suitable substance. The thimble is gradually thickened toward one end, as indicated 5s at It to have a slight internal taper and so facilitate its being mounted snugly on the index iinger of the left hand. In addition, thc front end of the thimble is made with an internal rim or burr Il having a dull edge, this rim serving to secure a better grip on the iinger and thus prevent the l thimble from turning or sliding off.

The thimble is adapted to receive loosely an .external ring I8, the same being somewhat shorter than the thimble and formed on its outer surface with a series of longitudinal ribs I9, to lend the 10 ring a milled formation. The ring I8 is prevented from sliding oi the thimble by forming the latter with terminal outward beads 20.

The ring I8 receives a forward hook 2| by soldering or other suitable attaching means, the 1B hook having a return loop or bill 22 terminating spacedly from the initial portion of the hook. The hook is made from a single piece of wire, as indicated, or it may be formed by a doubled wire having its bend at the end of the bill 22 and both 20 strands soldered or otherwise secured to the ring.

The device is placed on the index finger of the left hand when it is to be used, so as to have the position shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows the position of the operators hands when about to begin form- 25 ing one of the ringlets.

In order to make curls or ringlets, it is necessary for the hair to be in a plastic condition, and this is done by working a mucilaginous solution,

commonly called a hair-set, well into the hair until the latter is in a well soaked or plastic state, A lock of hair is then taken at a time for the formation of the curl, it being placed in the hook 2l a short distance from its origin. The right hand is then employed to turn the ring I8 in the 35 direction of the arrow, this action being facilitated by the friction of the ribs I9 and the application thereto of the flngermail of the thumb to propel the ring as mentioned. With the hair lock in the limp and plastic condition, it will permit the ring to draw it around in curls by the guidance of the hook 2 I until the end of the lock is reached, resulting in the curl shownin Fig. 6. This is of course quickly done after a small amount of practice, and when the finger around which the curl has been wrapped is removed, the other hand is used to pat and flatten thecurl to form the ringlet. Finally, a pin is passed through the ringlet in a substantially horizontal direction to fasten its convolutions and hold the ringlet in shape un- 50 til the hair has dried. The plastic binderwill then serve to retain the shape of the ringlet.

It will be evident from the above description Athat-I have provided an appliance for the purpose stated which is of considerable assistance for the work in hand. The device may b e worn by the operator during the entire treatment. thus being handy and avoiding the chances that it might be lost or mislaid. Being mounted on the finger, the device is ready for repeated application, and therefore need not be laid down and picked up each time a ringlet is made. The device assumes a good hold through its tapered interior and the burr l1, so that it remains in place, yet leaves a substantial portion of the forenger exposed as a form on which to wrap the lock of hair. While the hook 2| serves to coil or wrap the hair around the linger, it does this only as a guide, at no time exercising a positive pull or tug, so that no pain or discomfort is experienced by the person treated. Further, the device may be worn on the right hand in case the operator is left-handed, serving equally as well; and it may be made in two or three sizes to suit variations in finger sizes. Finally, the device is only in two major parts, and almost as small as a regular thimble, so that it is of a nature to be inexpensively manufactured, easily handled and possible to be kept or stored in a small space.

While I have described the novel appliance along specic lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I desire to consider all such changes or renements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim: g

1. A hair curling device comprising a tubular thimble mountable to rmly 'engage the forepart of the human nger, and means carried by the thimble and operable to wind a curl of hair around the tip portion of such nger.

2. The structure of claim 1, said means being a ring mounted for free rotation about the thimble, and a guide for the hair carried by the rin 3 The structure of claim 1, said means being a ring mounted for free rotation about the 'thimble, a guide for the hair carried by the ring,

and means to lock the ring against endwise departure from the thimble.

4. The structure of claim 1, said means being a ring mounted for free rotation about the thimble, a guide for the hair carried by the ring, and terminal outward beads formed at the ends of the thimble to check the ring from endwise departure.

5. A hair curling device comprising a tubular thimble adapted to leave a terminal portion of the finger exposed. and means carried by the thimble and rotatable on the same to wind a curl of hair on said portion.

6. The structure of claim 5, said means comprising a ring freely mounted on the thimble, a guide for the hair carried by the ring. and a formation on the surface of the ring for frictional engagement to rotate the same.

7. The structure of claim 5, said means comprising a ring freely mounted on the thimble, a guide for the hair carried by the ring, and a milled formation on the surface of the ring for frictional engagement to rotate the same.

8. A hair curling device comprising a tubular thimble adapted to leave a terminal portion of the finger exposed, a ring rotatably mounted on the thimble, a hook carried by the ring and extending alongside the zone of said portion, and a return bill for said hook terminating in spaced relation to the shank of the hook.

9. The structure of claim 1, the thimble being cylindrical on its outer side and being gradually thickened along the inside in the forward direction to accommodate itself to the taper of the finger.

10. The structure of claim 1, the forward end of the thimble being constricted to form a grip for the finger.

ll. The structure of claim l, the thimble being cylindrical on its outer side and being gradually thickened along the inside in the forward direction to accommodate itself to the taper of the finger, and the forward end of the thickened portion being formed with an internal annular burr to constitute a grip for the finger.

BEULAH F. MEEK. 

